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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30029388">growing up to do</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachsneakers/pseuds/peachsneakers'>peachsneakers</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>sanders sides agere [21]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Regression/De-Aging, And he wasn't a jerk to baby Janus, Apologies, Food, Gen, Remus is heavily mentioned, Roman is a little bit of a jerk but he apologizes, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:28:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>727</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30029388</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachsneakers/pseuds/peachsneakers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Janus has never regressed like <i>this</i> before!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>sanders sides agere [21]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1618099</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>90</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>growing up to do</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Janus hiccups a sob as quietly as he can, pressing both tiny hands over his mouth. And that's part of the problem, isn't it? He's used to being small, but not <em>literally</em>! He doesn't think this has <em>ever</em> happened before, and if it's never happened before, then who's to say what will <em>fix</em> it? He can't <em>stay</em> small, Thomas needs him! If the others find out...</p><p></p><div>
  <p>A full-bodied shiver runs through him, making him long for his heat lamp. If Remus finds out, that's fine. Remus knows that he's small sometimes. Virgil finding out would be bad, but he, too, has seen Janus small before. Maybe he would just ignore it.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>But the others... If <em>they</em> found out... Janus squeaks in terror, his shivering intensifying. His clothes have shrunk with him, but not all the way, so they're just that much oversized on his tiny frame. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Logan would call him illogical. Roman would scoff at him, might even run him through. It wouldn't be honorable, but does one need honor when dealing with such a <em>villain</em>? Patton might coo over him, and that would be worse because it wouldn't be outwardly hostile, but he'd never be taken seriously again.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Thomas <em>needs</em> to take him seriously. Thomas needs a lot of things, and how is Janus supposed to help if he's just a little kid?!</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Hate this," he whispers miserably to himself, rocking back and forth in his closet. The only person who would come into his room unannounced is Remus, but he feels safer in the closet. "Hate <em>me</em>," he confesses, the truth making his tongue burn. He immediately scrunches his nose up and makes a face, feeling the skin around his scales pull unpleasantly.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He's not even sure <em>why</em> he's small. There was an argument- yet another argument- but usually those just make him mad or frustrate him. He doesn't know why this one would be so bad that he-</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Well-</p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>What is your purpose exactly? Being the villain?</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Roman's words echo through his ears, and he claps his hands over them, as if that can will the words away. He's <em>not</em> the villain. He's just <em>not</em>.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He knows in the past he's played the part, but he never actually <em>was</em> one. And thinking about it makes his head go fuzzy and ache, because it's really hard to think about grown-up concepts when he's small. All he wants to do is watch cartoons and color and maybe cuddle his stuffed snake. He wants apple juice and goldfish crackers and baby carrots dipped in Reddiwhip. He wants his pacifier and his blanket and he wants them all <em>now</em>, and it's <em>not fair </em>that he doesn't get <em>any</em> of them!</p>
</div><div>
  <p>His door creaks and Janus freezes, hiding behind an untidy pile of laundry. He doesn't know who's in his room and he's terrified to find out. If it's Remus, then okay, but Remus is...loud. Sometimes uncomfortably so. This person is <em>quiet</em>, almost deathly so, and that <em>scares</em> him.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Janus?" A piercing whisper. A <em>familiar</em> whisper and Janus's fear spikes because of all the people to wander in and potentially find out his predicament, Roman is the <em>worst</em>. "Are you in here?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He doesn't answer, just burrows into the laundry as silently as he can. He thinks it's not a very good place to hide, but he also doesn't see why Roman should look into the closet in the first place and even if he does, well. He'll be expecting an all-grown-up Janus, won't he? Not a near-toddler.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>A sigh, rough and impatient, sends ice to slake down Janus's spine.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Of course not,' Roman mutters. "That would be too easy. I just wanted to apologize." Janus's ears perk at that. Apologize? Apologize for what?</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I shouldn't have said what I did about your purpose," Roman mumbles. "It was uncalled for and it was unprincely and- and I'm sorry."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Even small, Janus knows better than to think he can rush out of the closet now and all will be forgiven. All will be good. He doesn't think Roman would respond very well, and he still doesn't want Roman to see him this way.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>But, he thinks, as Roman sighs again and makes his way out of the room, maybe he can find Remus himself. And watch a cartoon or color a picture.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>At least until he grows up, anyway.</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
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